hospice
What Is Hospice?
 Hospice
is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses
on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.
These symptoms can be physical, emotional, spiritual or
social in nature.
Hospice in the United States has grown from a volunteer-led
movement to improve care for people dying alone, isolated,
or in hospitals, to a significant part of the health care
system. In 2005 more than 1.2 million individuals and their
families received hospice care. Hospice is the only Medicare
benefit that includes pharmaceuticals, medical equipment,
twenty-four hour/seven day a week access to care and support
for loved ones following a death. Hospice care is also covered
by Medicaid and most private insurance plans. Most hospice
care is delivered at home. Hospice care is also available
to people in home-like hospice residences, nursing homes,
assisted living facilities, veterans' facilities, hospitals,
and prisons.
Hospice patients are prescribed by a patient's doctor.
We are on the referral list of the major Hospice organzations
in Southern California. So the patient's care is primarily
provided by the Hospice organization. We are the secondary
contact for HOSPICE patients. i.e., suggested hours of care,
training in the administration of medicines is overseen
by an Hospice Organization. The (our) aides assigned to
care for hospice patients are skilled with handling dying
patients and how to deal with a dying patient emotionally
as well as mentally. Not all aides are capable of handling
such situations therefore, we only assign those aides who
are experienced in this area. I said all this to say, OUR
AGENCY ONLY WORKS AS A REFERRAL RESOURCE UNDER A HOSPICE
ORGANIZATION. The hospice Administrator has answered the
necessary questions a patient/client would have regarding
the care that is needed. As with a physician (MD) who would
refer a patient to a surgeon.
We have credentials on our aides, i.e, legal documention,
background checks, fingerprinting.
How Hopice Care is Reimbursed?
We help clients process their "long-term care"
insurance policies. We do not accept their insurance as
payment, our pay is private pay.
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